Improvement in fruit-driers



M. E. LLOYD.

Fruit Drler.

Patented May 25, 1869.

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Letters Patent No. 90,369, dated May 25, 1869; antedatecl May 8, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN FRUIT-DRIERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making pafl: of the same.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MINNIE E. LLOYD, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Drying Fruit, Vegetables, 85c. and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, making a portion of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of a drying-apparatus, constructed according to my inventiou.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same, taken at right angles to fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

This invention is designed for drying fruit, vegetables, or other substances or materials, and its object is to enable a much larger surface of the substance to be dried, to be subjected to the action of currents of heated air, than has been found practicable with the apparatus ordinarily in'use for such drying-pin poses; and to this end the invention consists in boxes or receptacles formed with perforated or reticulated sides, having transverse spurs or bars, and so arranged, within a suitable room or chamber, as to effectually secure the desired object.

To enable others to understand the nature and construction of my. invention, I will proceed to describe it, with reference to the drawings.

A represents a room or chamber, from the ceiling a of which is suspended, in any suitable manner, any desired number of rectangular boxes B, which constitute the receptacles in which are placed the fruit, vegetables or other substance or material to be dried.

The tops or upper sides of these boxes, or receptacles may be closed by detachable covers, as shown at b, or may open into an upper room, situated above the room or chamber A, as indicated at G, in the drawings.

The bottom 0, of each of these receptacles, is designed to be hinged at one edge, as shown at a, and to be retained in a horizontal position, to close the lower end of the said receptacle,bya hook or catch 1), or by any other suitable means. The ends of the receptacles B may be made of wood or sheet-metal, and the fiat sides a) thereof, of sheet-metal, perforated with numerous small holes or openings, or of wire cloth, or of any other suitable recticulated or foramihated material which will permit the air to pass freely through such sides into the interior of the receptacles. It should be mentioned that the thickness of the aforesaid receptacles is much less than their depth or length, in order that the mass of the substance to be dried may not be of such thickness as to prevent the central portion thereof from being reached by the heated air, as hereinafter fully set forth.

Fixed transversely within each of the receptacles, is any desired number of spurs, rods, or bars d, which serve to partially support the mass of material within thereceptaele, and thus prevent the same from packing too closely during the drying-process, which would otherwise be liable to occur.

Formed in the walls of the room or chamber A,

near the ceiling of the said chamber, is any suitable or desired number of openings e, which are designed to permit the escape of the vapors generated during other substance or material to be dried, and heated air being supplied to the room or chamber A, as just hereinbefore explained, the said heated air ascends between the receptacles B, and passing through the perforated or reticulated sides thereof, penetrates into the interstices of the substance contained therein, and absorbs the moisture therefrom, or in other words, dries the same, this permeation of the mass to be dried, being greatly facilitated by the loose condition of such mass, secured by the spurs or bars at, as hereinbefore explained.

The vapors generated from the substance thus dried, pass from the room A through the openings 0, as just herein mentioned.

When the contents of the receptacles B have by this means become suiiicieutly dried, the bottom 0 of the said receptacles, are released and swung downward, whereupon the dried substances descend by their own weight through the openings thus formed, and

may be received in suitable vessels placed underneath the receptacles for that purpose.

I am aware that chambers divided horizontally by wooden or -close sh'elves, have been used, but in these the vapor is retained in the central portion, and is apt to cause acidity. These, therefore, I do not claim.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The chambers B, constructed as shown and described, and provided with transverse bars or spurs d, whereby a free upward, as well as lateral escape for the vapors is afforded, the whole arranged within a chamber having free circulation between said chambers B, for the passage and escape of heated air, substantially as set forth.-

MINNIE E. LLOYD.

Witnesses J. W. OooMBs, G. W. REED. 

